^^^ I'd just invest in a good smoker upfront. I bought an ECB this spring and really struggled with it at first. Save yourself the frustration and buy a good one since there is no way you won't get addicted to smoking bbq. I'll probably buy a Kamado/BGE from Costco next year.
Not that you can't get good results in an ECB, just takes more effort. Check out the smoke ring and moistness on my pork rib roast over the weekend: